Neural basis of sensitive skin: an fMRI study.
OBJECTIVE
About 50% of women declare themselves to have sensitive skin. However, sensitive skin still appears to be a questionable problem not corresponding to a specific physiological pattern. To objectivate the neural basis of sensitive skin, we measured cerebral response to cutaneous provocative tests in self-perceived sensitive and non-sensitive skin subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).


METHODS
Subjects were divided into two groups according to their self-perceived characterization by using a dedicated questionnaire about their skin reactivity. Event-related fMRI was used to measure cerebral activation associated with skin discomfort induced by a simultaneous split-face application of lactic acid and of its vehicle.


CONCLUSIONS
In both groups, skin discomfort due to lactic acid increased activity in the primary sensorimotor cortex contralateral to application site and in a bilateral fronto-parietal network including parietal cortex, prefrontal areas around the superior frontal sulcus, and the supplementary motor area. However, activity was significantly larger in the sensitive skin group. Most remarkably, in the sensitive skin group only, activity spreaded into the ipsilateral primary sensorimotor cortex and the bilateral peri-insular secondary somatosensory area. Our results demonstrate that, compared with control subjects, self-perceived sensitive skin subjects have a specific cerebral activation during skin irritative test, which allows us to hypothesize that self-perceived sensitive skin is intrinsically linked to a specific neurophysiologic pattern for these subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that fMRI is an effective objective method for measuring cerebral processes underlying skin reactivity and contributes to a better understanding of the neural basis of the sensitive skin phenomenon.
Querleux
Bernard
B
L'Oréal Recherche, Aulnay-sous-bois, France. BQUERLEUX@rd.loreal.com
Dauchot
Katia
K
Jourdain
Roland
R
Bastien
Philippe
P
Bittoun
Jacques
J
Anton
Jean-Luc
JL
Burnod
Yves
Y
de Lacharrière
Olivier
O
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D012879:Skin Physiological Phenomena; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*